Hôtel de Ville

Hôtel de Ville is located in Paris, France and serves as the residence for the local government. It has been operating as the headquarters for the municipality since 1357. In addition to being the residence for the local government, it also houses The Mayor of Paris. Moreover, it is a venue for sizable receptions. Background In 1357, Étienne Marcel, Provost of the Merchants, bought maison aux piliers ("House of Pillars") in the name of the City. It was later merged into the Place de Grève ("Strand Square"), where Parisians gathered for public executions. In 1533, King Francis I decided to gift Paris with a city hall. He appointed Italian architect Domenico da Cortona and French Architect Pierre Chambiges to replace The House of Pillars. Work for the building was completed in 1628 during the reign of Louis XIII. Several historical events happened at Hôtel de Ville. The most famous ones that happened during the French Revolution include the murder of Provost of the Merchants Jacques de Flesselles and the coup of 9 Thermidor Year II when Maximilien Robespierre was assaulted and arrested in front of Hôtel de Ville. During Franco-Prussian War, the building was broken in by rebels and the Government of National Defence was captured. The government was saved by soldiers breaking in through the underground tunnel that was built in 1807. Protest was held outside Hôtel de Ville due to the possibility of government surrendering to Prussians. The Paris Commune, the government for Paris created after the defeat of Napoleon III, selected Hôtel de Ville as its headquarter. When anti-commune troops neared the building, The Paris Commune proceeded to set the building on fire, causing the extinction of the records from the F	rench Revolutionary Period.

The reconstruction was managed by architects Théodore Ballu and Édouard Deperthes. The process lasted 19 years, from 1873 until 1892. The interior after the reconstruction was based on a completely different design than before. On the central ceremonial doors, there are allegorical figures of Art, which were by Laurent Marqueste. The allegorical figures of Science were by Jules Blanchard. Famous Parisians that appear on each façade were done by at least 230 sculptors. The statue on the garden wall of the south side is Étienne Marcel, a well-known Provost of Merchants.